'Lost': Who's Coming Back for Season 6?

You've heard the rumors. You've watched the podcasts. You've played the games and searched the photos for secret messages and now, finally, 'Lost' is about to begin its final season. But there's still one question even the most hardcore Lostie can't answer yet: who is on the show for season 6.

It's safe to say that's not a question most shows like, say, 'Two and a Half Men' have to deal with, but in the twisty, convoluted world of 'Lost,' where every scene comes with a flashback, a flashforward and possibly time travel to go along with it, there's no telling just who -- or when -- the action will revolve around.You've heard the rumors. You've watched the podcasts. You've played the games and searched the photos for secret messages and now, finally, 'Lost' is about to begin its final season. But there's still one question even the most hardcore Lostie can't answer yet: who is on the show for season 6.

It's safe to say that's not a question most shows like, say, 'Two and a Half Men' have to deal with, but in the twisty, convoluted world of 'Lost,' where every scene comes with a flashback, a flashforward and possibly time travel to go along with it, there's no telling just who -- or when -- the action will revolve around.

And with the final season set to premiere on Feb. 2 on ABC, it looks as though 'Lost' producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof are going to use their show's famously vague framework to tie up loose ends in typical 'Lost' style: by bringing back all your favorite (and least favorite) characters from years past, regardless of whether they are alive, dead or ... something else.

In order to help you sort out the madness, then, we've tracked down all the hottest information to bring you this guide to the upcoming season of 'Lost' and reveal, once and for all, just who you can expect to see. Did Juliet survive the bomb? Are we finally going to learn Libby's story? Is Boone really coming back? And they wouldn't actually include Nikki and Paulo in the final season, would they? Well, you know what they say: where there's a smoke monster, there's fire, so check out the inside scoop as we prepare get you ready for the most anticipated TV event of the decade, beginning with the character everyone is wondering about:

Juliet: Unfortunately, it looks like Juliet really is dead. That doesn't mean she won't be appearing on the show, though. While Lindelof told Entertainment Weekly that "the decision to kill Juliet was absolutely brutal," he lightened the blow by assuring fans that she is still slated to star in several episodes despite actress Elizabeth Mitchell's commitments to 'V.' Because as Cuse teased, "there's still something very significant that we have not yet learned about the character." Very mysterious, guys.

Charlie: Juliet wasn't the only fan favorite to perish in a season ending explosion, of course, as Dominic Monaghan's ill-fated rocker Charlie Pace took a grenade for the team in the third year finale. We've already seen his ghost haunting Hurley, though, so it's no surprise to learn that Charlie will be back again for the final season; Monaghan confirmed as much with a surprise appearance at last summer's 'Lost' Comic-Con panel.

Claire: Where there's Charlie, there must also be Claire, the single mom who has been missing in action since vanishing into the jungle during season four. A later appearance alongside her creepy ghost dad Christian spawned numerous rumors that she's dead. We're not so sure, though: besides returning as a full fledged cast member this season, actress Emilie de Ravin seems to appear very briefly in one of ABC's new promos decked out Rousseau-style with a rifle, especially telling since, like the Frenchwoman before her, Claire's baby was born on the island and then taken away from her. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Check it out (Claire is in a blink and you'll miss it clip around the 15 second mark):

Libby: Also appearing in the clip just before Claire is the mysterious Libby, Hurley's erstwhile girlfriend, who was murdered by Michael during season two; we later learned that Libby had once resided in the same mental hospital as Hurley, a fact that was dramatically revealed but which has been totally ignored ever since. And it seemed as though irritated fans would never learn the truth, as Lindelof told the New York Post last summer that actress Cynthia Watros had declined an invitation to return to the show. "You should probably prepare yourselves for the ambiguity of not ever knowing why Libby and Hurley were in the mental institution together," he said at the time. Luckily, since then, Watros has changed her mind and will in fact be appearing in the final season, a decision that is likely to spare ABC a great number of angry emails.

Desmond and Penelope: Considering these two have provided the show some of its most signature moments, you would think they would be a shoo-in to appear in the final season. Like Elizabeth Mitchell, however, actress Sonya Walger, who plays Penelope, is signed on full time with another show (in this face, 'FlashForward'). Have no fear, though; while the importance of their storyline may be reduced to allow for a shorter shooting schedule, Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) and Penelope will definitely be appearing this year. "I think Desmond's character has become more of a peripheral character," Cusick told TV Guide, adding, however, that "there are a lot of questions that need to be answered." Ah, the famous Scottish understatement.

Daniel: If Desmond is going to be around, chances are his mentor in time travel, Daniel Faraday, will be nearby as well. Of course, Daniel was shot to death by his own mother last season, but that's just a minor speed bump for someone who can navigate the time stream: Cuse and Lidelof revealed at Comic-Con that Daniel (Jeremy Davies) will be appearing this season.

Michael: Also returning from the land of the probably dead is Michael (Harold Perrineau), who blew himself to kingdom come along with the freighter at the end of season four (something of a trend, apparently). As Entertainment Weekly reported earlier this month, Michael is back in business, though in what role nobody is yet sure. Who knows, maybe Libby will come back from the grave to get her revenge on him.

Walt: Also up in the air is the presence of Michael's son Walt, made iffier by the massive growth spurt actor Malcolm David Kelley has experienced since his days as a youth on the show. Considering the compressed timeframe of the series, explaining his adult status may be difficult, but perhaps easier than placating fans teased with information suggesting Walt has some sort of mystic importance to the island. But while Lindelof told USA Today that fans can expect answers to their questions, that doesn't necessarily mean we'll be seeing Walt again. "Why Walt was special and the role he played on the show will have a new significance when all is said and done," he said. "And I'm not sure we really need the character of Walt to explain the significance."

Mr. Eko: The death of fan favorite Mr. Eko (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) after just one season on the show sparked an outcry from viewers that was only partially lessened by the fact that leaving the series was Akinnuoye-Agbaje's idea. Now, however, the actor has another idea: to return to the series for the final push. "To be able to give that rich character some completion would be nice," he told TV Guide last year. There has been no official response from Cuse and Lidelof, but fans may yet get their wish, as Mr. Eko was included on ABC's official season six promo poster.

Click to enlarge.

Boone and Shannon: The not-quite-siblings, not-quite-lovers duo of Boone and Shannon had their share of fans back in the day, right up until they were both killed off, which led to soul searching for Boone's mentor Locke and Shannon's main squeeze Sayid. So how will those two react to the return of their dead friends? We may find out, as both Boone (Ian Somerhalder) and Shannon (Maggie Grace) are returning to the show. As Entertainment Weekly reported, Somerhalder, who is now fronting 'The Vampire Diaries,' thrilled Comic-Con fans last summer when he announced that "I am going to be coming back." Grace, on the other hand, was more coy, telling E! Online only that she was "looking forward to visiting Hawaii soon," adding that if the Lost writers "found the right reason, then I'm sure I would be on." We're sure of it too.

Rose and Bernard: Though married couple Rose (L. Scott Caldwell) and Bernard (Sam Anderson) have never been major characters, they have been providing 'Lost' with some much needed grounding, never more so than last season, when they finally decided to get out of the polar bear and smoke monster business and just live out their lives in peace away from everyone else's craziness. So will we see them again? Or have they found their happily ever after? Our guess: both. The key hint was dropped by Lindelof in an interview with Britain's Sunday Mercury, where he revealed that "we'll also be answering the skeletons in the cave question." Yes, that's right: we think "Adam and Eve" will turn out to be Bernard and Rose, buried together after living out their full and natural lives in peace. Which would make them unique indeed among 'Lost' characters.

Nikki and Paulo: Lastly, Nikki and Paulo (Kiele Sanchez and Rodrigo Santoro) were probably the two most reviled characters in the history of the show; after appearing out of nowhere at the beginning of season three, fan backlash was so savage that the writers quickly killed them off in especially gruesome style, burying them alive. Because of this, their apparent inclusion on the official promo poster has some corners of the internet abuzz, and not in a good way. But don't worry, folks: that's just a fan made spoof of the real version, where Nikki and Paulo are nowhere to be seen. Still, given Cuse and Lindelof's perverse sense of humor, don't be surprised if they manage to sneak these two into the final season at some point. After all, somewhere out there, Billy Dee Williams is waiting to film the next episode of 'Exposé.'